INDUSTRIAL FINISHING: UV COATINGS An example of transitioning from a water-based solution to a sustainable UV coating. Delivering Improved ROI HAPs; labour/manpower savings; etc. Typically, UV coatings offer a significant overall cost savings per linear foot, per square foot, and per widget cost based on competing water-based/conventional coating systems. This activity is usually coordinated between the customer, UV system integrator and UV coatings company. Allied PhotoChemical offers an ROI calculator: www. alliedphotochemical.com/roi-calculators Implementing a Successful Project It's critical to choose an experienced UV systems integrator to work simultaneously with your organisation from concept design to full and stable production. The UV systems integrator should be teamed with an UV coatings technology company. Together they should provide a fully documented project overview, timeline and deliverables, UV process simulation or a realistic demonstration of the process, and provide coated parts for internal and external testing. They should also demonstrate best practices based on previous UV installation and how to best support the customer's UV production system. A detailed process specification should be developed along with the UV systems integrator. This should include: line speed/ parts per minute; physical footprint; reduced WIP/ quality costs; safety benefits such as less material handling; environmental aspects such as no VOCs or 30 www.cfcm.ca UV coatings allow manufacturing customers to greatly improve their overall manufacturing and production systems. A UV process will improve your process efficiencies and by eliminating water-based/conventional coatings it will improve your sustainability footprint, by reducing emissions-no VOC's or HAP's in your coating operation. In addition, the UV process will deliver on improved ROI for your coating operations. All these benefits are achievable with the right experienced systems integrator and UV coatings partner. Mike Kelly is a chief customer officer at Michigan-based Allied Photochemical Inc. He can be contacted at mkelly@alliedphotochemical.comhttp://www.alliedphotochemical.com/roi-calculators http://www.cfcm.ca